pilgrim

[ pil-grim, -gruhm ]

noun

1. a person who journeys, especially a long distance, to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion:

   pilgrims to the Holy Land.

2. a traveler or wanderer, especially in a foreign place.
3. an original settler in a region.
4. (initial capital letter) one of the band of Puritans who founded the colony of Plymouth, Mass., in 1620.
5. a newcomer to a region or place, especially to the western U.S.

pilgrim

¹

/ ˈpɪlɡrɪm /

noun

1. a person who undertakes a journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion
2. any wayfarer

Pilgrim

²

/ ˈpɪlɡrɪm /

noun

1. See Canterbury Pilgrims

Other Words From

• pilgri·matic pilgri·mati·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pilgrim¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English pelegrim, pilegrim, cognate with Old Frisian pilegrīm, Middle Low German pelegrīm, Old High German piligrīm, Old Norse pīlagrīmr, all from Medieval Latin pelegrīnus, dissimilated variant of Latin peregrīnus peregrine

Word History and Origins

Origin of pilgrim¹

C12: from Provençal pelegrin, from Latin peregrīnus foreign, from per through + ager field, land; see peregrine

Example Sentences

I drove through New Mexico, where Latinos have farmed since before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, and spent time in tiny Antonito, Colo., home to the oldest Latino civil rights group in the country.

From Los Angeles Times

The couple met in 2020 when they were working together at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston.

From BBC

All Pilgrims, 500 Broadway E.; 7–11 p.m.; suggested donation $10, but no one turned away for lack of funds; youth ages 13–22.

From Seattle Times

The Pilgrims have shown great skill in bringing in young players and developing their talents - the likes of Morgan Whittaker and Finn Azaz thrived at Home Park this season.

From BBC

Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn are two points better off than the Pilgrims on 50 points.

From BBC

Related Words

• settler
• traveler